Fairy Tales
by entre-lagrimas-y-suspiros
Summary: Minerva/Hermione Minerva comforts Hermione after a devastating battle.


Title: Fairy Tales (1/1)

Fandom: Harry Potter

Pairing: Minerva McGonagall/Hermione Granger

Rating: PG-13, for mature themes

Summary: Minerva comforts Hermione after a devastating battle.

AN: Written for 31_days community at LJ. March 16/ I'll keep the lights out, I'll tell you fairy tales

XXX

Hermione sat on the bed in her bedroom at headquarters, she was soaked from head to toe and mud was sprinkled along the length of her jeans. She was staring into the mirror beside the bed at the woman she didn't recognized but was staring back at her. She couldn't break the look even though the woman looked so lost it scared her. Hermione didn't know who the woman was but she was obviously a lost soul, and in great pain.

"Hermione," Minerva called out from the door. The lights were bright in the room so she spotted the young woman immediately, she also spotted the tears that were silently making their way down Hermione's dirty cheeks leaving streaks of clean skin in their wake.

Minerva moved quickly to the bedside and knelt before Hermione. "Hermione," she tried once more. This time Hermione did look at her but her vision was so unfocused Minerva wasn't sure she could actually see her. She sighed softly and shook her head.

Minerva noticed Hermione still held her wand, and so she made to take it from her but Hermione's grip was so great she couldn't pry it free. "Hermione, let go of the wand," she instructed. Hermione blinked several times and then refocused her eyes on her, and Minerva wanted to believe the girl heard her but she has a sinking feeling that the opposite was true. "Let go, Hermione," she said again and then tried once more to pull the wand free. Minerva had to pull so hard she almost lost her balance when she was finally able to pull the wand free.

She stood to put away Hermione's wand on the nightstand. She pulled her own wand out of robes and placed it beside Hermione's.

Minerva then made her way to bathroom. She grabbed a small washcloth and put it under the faucet letting the warm water soak it through. She ringed out the excess water then walked back to the bedroom.

"I'm going to clean you up a bit, Hermione. Is that all right?" She received no response, so she sat down on the bed and carefully took hold of the young woman's face. Slowly Minerva passed the washcloth over Hermione's cold skin, taking away the dirt and tears with ease, she only wished she could take away the girl's pain with such ease. Minerva knew what she was up against, knew it was not up to her; Hermione would not let go of the pain and anger until she was ready to. Only Hermione could decide when that would be.

When she finished cleaning Hermione's face Minerva continued her ministrations this time on the girl's hands. She took each hand in turn, examining it slowly as she passed the washcloth along the delicate slim fingers. She took special care to remove the dirt and blood under the young woman's fingernails. It took Minerva several minutes to clean away every sign of blood but she did it, knowing that leaving the physical reminder of the night's events would be a grave mistake.

"Hermione," Minerva said softly and noticed with joy that Hermione looked up at after a few seconds, "I'm going to undress you now, all right?"

She knew explaining her actions to Hermione was the best way to go about it, she didn't want the girl to react badly after all, but she still felt silly at having to narrate her movements. Then again she'd rather narrate than work in silence, Hermione was never that still and it was disconcerting to say the least.

Hermione's eyes seemed more lost than before so Minerva explained further, "You're clothes are filthy, sweetheart, I need to undress you so you can get some sleep."

Minerva thought that she would get as much acknowledgement as before, none, but after a long pause Hermione gave her an almost imperceptible nod. Minerva was so happy at seeing the small gesture that her eyes filled with tears. It was progress, not much but progress nonetheless.

The sweater Hermione wore was so wet the water droplets that fell to the floor, as Minerva wrestled with the zipper, making a small buddle. After a minute or so Minerva was able to remove the sweater and moved on to the next article of clothing. Hermione's shirt proved a lot easier but what Minerva found when she pulled her shirt over the girls head made her swallow hard. She looked at the angry bloody scratches and almost reached out to touch them then stopped when she saw the fear in Hermione's eyes. Her hands turned to fists in her effort to keep them at her sides. She knelt before Hermione once more; this time to removed her shoes and socks. That done she moved to the last article of clothing she need to remove, the girl's jeans. She had no trouble with the zipper this time, but she did get a bigger shock. There were several dark angry bruises along Hermione's left leg and her knees showed signs of having hit the ground hard.

Minerva couldn't keep her hands away this time. She lightly touched one abuse knee and then the other. She didn't realize she was crying until she felt the hot tears run down her cheeks to land on her hands. Overwhelmed by her task for a moment Minerva let her head fall onto Hermione's thighs. When had those injuries happen? Hermione hadn't been out of her sight for more than a few minutes, during the entire battle, but then that was enough time for her to be attacked by two Death Eaters.

Minerva felt fingers brush over her disheveled hair.

"I killed a man," Hermione said startling Minerva. "I _killed _a man." She repeated in a shaky voice.

Minerva raised her head and took hold of Hermione's hands. "I know you did, sweetheart, but in self defense. You did it in self defense, Hermione."

She saw fresh tears filled Hermione's beautiful honey colored eyes. "It was a battle, Hermione, you were attacked and you defended yourself. If you hadn't he would have killed you."

"I still killed him though."

Minerva nodded as she stood. "Yes you killed him, in battle. You did what you had to. It's a war, Hermione, and sometimes despites our best efforts its kill or be killed."

Hermione nodded in what Minerva hoped was acceptance.

Minerva pulled the comforter back, and with a hand on Hermione's should gently pushed the girl into a horizontal position. She covered Hermione then moved to leave, but Hermione had taken hold of her hand. Minerva looked at her for a minute but Hermione never released her. "I should go to bed as well."

"Stay," Hermione, asked looking straight into her professor's eyes even thought tears still swam in her own. "Please, stay."

Minerva looked at the young woman before her, she was barely twenty and she had just been through the most horrible ordeal of a war, having to choose between your own life and the life of another. Hermione was barely twenty, and in pain. She needed her and Minerva could not abandon her. She felt too much for the girl to leave her in such a state. She simply loved Hermione too much, despite her best efforts, to leave. "All right, I'll stay."

"Thank you."

Minerva nodded walked around the bed. She undressed under Hermione's steady gaze. Her hands shook, like the always did before Hermione, as she removed the blouse and pants she wore under. She turned off the light then crawled into bed in the dark.

She had just gotten under the comforter when she felt Hermione's cold arms encircle her waist. Minerva breathed deeply then wrapped her arms around the young woman's back, holding onto her tightly.

"Tell me something." Hermione said into her shoulder.

"What do you want me to tell you?"

"Anything."

Minerva rubbed small circles over Hermione's back. "You are the bravest person I've ever met."

She felt something wet on her shoulder before Hermione spoke up. "No, not something about me. Tell me something about you."

"I am amazed by you." Minerva said almost instantly.

Hermione moved away enough to look at Minerva, "No…"

"Yes," Minerva interrupted her, "I am utterly amazed by you Hermione Granger. You are brave beyond words and so innocent I'm afraid for you sometimes."

"Minerva, I don't want to talk about me."

Minerva hands moved to hold Hermione face, "I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about my feeling for you." She kissed the girl's lips softly, tenderly, trying to sooth the heart her heart belonged to. "You are so generous, intelligent beyond measure, and you have a big kind heart. It's why I love you."

Hermione wanted to say it back, like she did every time Minerva said those precious words, but she was fighting back tears. She smiled instead, and snuggled into Minerva's warmth again. She felt the pain, the anger, and the cold begin to seep out of her.

Fin.


End file.
